1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to the provision of television services over a television network.
2. Background
Television services provided over a television network, such as an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) network, cable network or satellite network, provide various content such as content over multiple channels, Video-on-Demand (VoD), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), data from the Internet, etc., to customers over a broadband connection. The broadband connection typically terminates at a Set Top Box (STB) located at a customer premise. The STB may be coupled to a television set as well as additional devices, such as a Digital Video Recorder (DVR). A DVR is a device that records video to a digital storage medium, such as a hard disk, in digital form, thereby enabling a viewer to record a show at a given time to be played back at another time, pause live TV shows, and skip advertising, among other things. In addition to the multiple content available, IPTV provides various features to a customer's viewing experience, such as an ability to purchase items through a television set, an integration of television viewing and Internet usage, interactive games, etc.
The STB typically operates a set of features to provide the content to the customer. Some typical features include parental control settings that enable a customer (also referred herein a “supervisor”) to restrict the content that may be viewed at a customer location, create a list of favorite channels that may be used to find favorite channels faster, record content on a recorder at the customer premise, and order pay-per-view program, such as special shows and VoD, or purchase an item, such as a book, through the television set, among other things.
Using the television connection, information may be stored at a suitable location, such as at a STB associated with a television set or at a network database that communicates with the STB. With information stored at a network database, it is possible to access the information and make any desired changes. The current systems generally do not provide great flexibility in terms of customer's ability to control the television settings away from the television sets or STBs. Thus, there is a need for an improved system and method that enables customers to control and change settings while away from their television sets and their STBs.